About Us

Our Mission

Is to work towards lowering euthanasia rates and act for the community as an advocate on behalf of the animals. We are devoted to provide financial, medical, social, and behavioral assistance and to raise community awareness to educate the public on responsible ownership by spaying and neutering and enhancing the lives of adoptable animals through adoption. We are committed to cooperating with other area organizations dedicated to the rescue and care of homeless animals and to achieving humane solutions to the problem of pet overpopulation.

Some of the LAA members are also associated with Lapeer County Animal Control, a government municipal building, which is a separate organization. We strive to make sure that most of the animals do get adopted by networking and working with animal rescues if needed. As LAA does not have a facility, we only strive to take into foster care the special needs animals, as we have limited foster homes. The community has seen a tremendous rise in the number of adoptions since LAA’s inception. Not only that, LAA is instrumental in creating community outreach programs that are helping save these animals lives and give them the loving forever homes they all deserve.

•Provide community outreach and education
•Pet retention program
•Assist with displaced animals in Lapeer County

How We Began…

Volunteer Wendy Yax takes “Ace,” one of many pit bulls currently at the Lapeer County Animal Control shelter, out for some fresh air in the outdoor kennel. Yax devotes many hours each week helping out at the shelter and maintains a Facebook page, Lapeer’s Adoptable Animals, dedicated to finding homes for the animals.

LAPEER COUNTY PRESS
September 30, 2012

BY KRYSTAL JOHNS

LAPEER COUNTY — Wendy Yax can proudly say she has helped to save or improve hundreds of animals’ lives in the past year.

Last year, the Metamora resident came to Lapeer County Animal Control because she had a vision to help find homes for the animals there. After obtaining permission, she started a page on Facebook called Lapeer’s Adoptable Animals. There, Yax posts photos of the animals that come into the shelter, along with as much information as she can about each one. She encourages those who are fans of the page — 3,472 as of noon Friday — to share the information on their personal pages, in hopes of finding just the right home for each animal.

“Our records show that our adoptions are up 75 percent from last year and we still have three months to go this year,” said Animal Control Chief Carla Frantz.

The kill rates are down 85 percent as well from last year. Unfortunately, there is a percentage of animals that can’t be saved due to a vicious temperament, severe illness or injury, or if the owner that surrenders them specifically asks for them to be euthanized. However, Yax, who attended a No Kill Conference last year, said the goal is to keep that to an absolute minimum, and so far she’s doing it. In fact, if her efforts don’t get an animal adopted and it comes down to the wire, she contacts animal rescues until she can find someone to take it — no easy feat, as many rescues are already over capacity.

On Wednesdays, when the shelter closes early, Yax comes in and takes photos of the animals, with a goal of getting them posted to Facebook by 6 p.m. She also posts them to Petfinder, Adopt A Pet and Craigslist online. Craigslist, she said, has been a surprising resource for reuniting lost pets with their owners. Yax also posts “Happy Tails” photos of the animals when they are adopted with their new owner. All of her efforts are on a volunteer basis, stemming from a lifelong love of animals.

Yax said that though they have a goal of finding homes for each and every animal, she will be honest with people if she doesn’t think an animal is the right fit for them.

In addition to the Facebook page, Yax also does other volunteer work at the shelter, such as walking the dogs, working to socialize hard-to-adopt animals and she has even taken a couple dogs home for a month or more for more indepth rehabilitation. Her son Ethan, 7, often plays with the animals too, which gives them the opportunity to see how the animals react to children.

Frantz said because Animal Control is short-staffed, Yax’s efforts are especially appreciated.

“The shelter wouldn’t be where it’s at without her,” Frantz said. “It has to be everyone working together because we’re all here for the same purpose — to get homes for these animals, the right homes.”

Yax, who has volunteered for a number of different shelters and rescues, said she is in the process of starting a 501(c)3 non-profit organization with the goal of raising funds to support the shelter.

Search for Lapeer’s Adoptable Animals on Facebook to keep up on animals that are up for adoption in Lapeer County, or if you’re missing a pet, as Yax posts photos of the strays that come in, even if they aren’t yet adoptable.